VIDEO PREMIERE: ‘Lightness of Being’ by R.D. King

by Maggie Molloy

R.D. King is interested in exploring big questions through music. Questions of psychology, philosophy—even questions of our own existence.

These are just a few of the themes explored in the guitarist’s debut album vs. Self, a collection of introspective acoustic guitar works. Inspired by art, literature, and cinema, King’s compositions typically begin with narrative and expand outward into abstraction.

The album’s first track explores the philosophical underpinnings of Milan Kundera’s 1984 novel The Unbearable Lightness of Being: a rumination on the ephemeral nature of life, with both the freedoms and limitations it brings. Just as the novel explores the paradox of lightness and weight, King’s composition merges elements of classical technique with steel-string guitar, balancing buoyant melodies against driving rhythms and shifting textures.

We’re thrilled to premiere a brand new video of R.D. King performing his original composition “Lightness of Being.”


This video was produced by Lightning Bulb Productions and Nico Rivers and shot at the Gallery at Villageworks with artwork by Linda Hoffman.

Click here to listen to R.D.’s debut album, vs. Self. His second self-titled album is set for release in January 2019.

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